APC's POKER CENTER
Compete in a beautifully-structured series of poker tournaments, played in 6-month seasons.
Enjoy a more social and flexible poker experience with our cash games.
Play from home with your friends in our private online club.
Explore the games and tournament formats featured at APC events, and find out what makes each one unique.
Whether you're a new player or a seasoned regular, this guide explains both what poker terms mean and why they matter.
Built by a poker player for poker players, these custom calculators turn complicated tournament math into a few simple clicks.
GAME TYPES & TOURNAMENT FORMATS
Jump to Tournament Formats
Whether you're just getting started or looking to try something new, understanding the different poker games and tournament formats can make every event more enjoyable. From the fast-paced action of No-Limit Hold'em to the strategic challenge of specialty games and unique tournament structures, this guide will help you discover what makes each format exciting and what you can expect at an Aylmer Poker Club event.
Game Types
See below for video lessons on how to play the various poker games we use at APC events.
Hold Em
The world's most popular poker game, where players combine two private cards with five community cards to make the best five-card hand.
Want to learn more? Check out this YouTube video.
Omaha
Similar to Hold'em, but each player receives four private cards and must use exactly two of them with three community cards to make their hand.
Want to learn more? Check out this YouTube video.
7-Card Stud
A classic poker variant with no community cards. Players receive a mix of face-up and face-down cards over several betting rounds and make the best five-card hand from seven cards.
Want to learn more? Check out this YouTube video.
Razz
A lowball version of 7-Card Stud where the objective is to make the lowest possible five-card hand, with straights and flushes not counting against you.
Want to learn more? Check out this YouTube video.
5-Card Draw
One of the simplest forms of poker. Players receive five private cards, have the opportunity to exchange some of them, and then compete to make the best hand.
Want to learn more? Check out this YouTube video.
Tournament Formats
There are many ways to play poker tournaments.
Below you'll find descriptions of tournament formats we sometimes use in our Bar League.
For individual game structures, see Special Events.
Standard
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All players start with an equal amount of chips.
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Play continues until one player collects all of the total chips in play.
Re-Entry
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Players who have been eliminated during the late registration period may "re-enter" the tournament, being seeded as a new player.
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The number of re-entries allowed per player in a particular tournament will be specified in advance.
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The majority of our Circuit events allow one re-entry per player.
Rebuy / Add-on
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All players begin with 10,000 chips for $10.
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Before the second break, any player who has 10,000 chips or less may "rebuy" an additional 10,000 chips for $10.
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At the second break, all players remaining may "add-on" 20,000 chips for $10, regardless of their current chip count.
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Players who lose all of their chips on the last hand before the rebuy period is closed are therefore able to buy 40,000 chips for $30.
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Following the second break, no more rebuys or add-ons are permitted.
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After the rebuy period closes, play will continue using the standard format.
All-in or Fold
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Players only ever have two options: "all-in" or "fold".
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This decision must be executed by each player at the first available opportunity on every deal.
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As a result of this condition, all betting action will be completed before the flop is dealt.
Triple Chance
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In this format, each player begins the tournament with three "lives", which are each worth 10,000 chips.
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To begin play, all players must cash in (at least) one life chip for 10,000 chips. Before the second break, players are free to cash in one or both of their additional lives at any time they choose - as long as it's done in between hands.
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At the second break, all players are forced to cash in any remaining lives they have.
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After the second break, play continues using the standard format.
Accumulator
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This format is a multi-day event, which includes several "day one" sessions and one "final day":
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On day one(s), play will continue for 15 blind levels. At the conclusion of play, the chip stacks of all surviving players will be noted.
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On the final day, all the surviving players/stacks from all day one sessions are combined into one final day, which then plays down to a winner.
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The defining feature of this format is that players may play as many day one sessions as they want.
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If/when players survive more than one day one session, they will merge ALL of their surviving stacks together for play on the final day.
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​On the final day, play will continue using the standard format.
Shootout
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This format is played as consecutive single-table tournaments.
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In round one, there are several independent tables. Each table plays until one player has all the chips.
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​The winners of each round one then form a final table, and the process is repeated to determine final standings.
Heads-Up
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This format is identical to the "shootout" variety, with one difference: each table only has two players.
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If the total entries are anything other than 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32, some players will be granted an automatic pass into the second round.
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When this is the case, the players who receive the automatic pass will be selected by random draw.
Bounty
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Each buy-in will be split in half:
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50% goes to the regular prize pool
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50% is assigned to each player as a bounty prize
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Each player's bounty prize will be collected by the opponent who eliminates them from the tournament.
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The winner of the tournament will keep their own bounty prize.
Tag Team
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Two-player teams share the playing responsibility, switching between active and inactive status with every level.
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Each team is assigned "consultation chips", which can be used either to have a 30-second discussion between teammates, or for one teammate to play two levels in a row (instead of switching).
COOL CALCULATORS
Designed and developed by the founder of Aylmer Poker Club, these custom calculators are the result of years of experience organizing professional and recreational poker tournaments. Whether you're planning a season or estimating an event's results, they offer an easy way to understand the APC Bar League format, see how prize pools and points are calculated, and discover just how rewarding consistent participation can be.